Chief Revenue Forecaster May Run for State Treasurer

One of the worst kept secrets in Olympia over the past couple of months is the persistent rumor that Dr. Chang Mook Sohn, the long-time head of the state’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (which determines official general fund revenue projections) would run for state treasurer in 2008 when incumbant Mike Murphy steps down.

Today, Seattle Times chief political correspondent David Postman broke the story in his blog. While there has been no official announcement, Postman references another story from Northwest Asian Weekly two weeks ago that Sohn was exploring running for the treasurer post and that he would run as a Democrat.

State Rep. Jim McIntire who currently represents the 46th legislative district in Seattle has already announced his intention to run for state treasurer as a Democrat. Current deputy treasurer Allan Martin has announced his intention to run as a Republican.

For more than two decades, Sohn has been known more for his non-partisanship and resistence to partisan pressure either from the Governor’s office or the state legislature. He has earned the nickname “Dr. Doom” more for his tendency to get ahead of economic downturns and his perceived unwillingness to more quickly recognize the economic upswings.

Stay tuned as we’ll see if his explorations lead to the “discovery” of another candidate for this state office.